Wouldn't dream of retrofitting, as you can see the boat already comes with substantial bilge keels and a full width fixed stabiliser which has the effect of pushing the bow down into the waves. The negative aspect of this stabiliser is the wake it creates on the Thames even at 4 knts. Rowers beware...
Survey pic prepaint.
I have a Pedro 36 with twin Penta 62hp giving 8 knts. The hull had been largely replated before our purchase last November, Having been a coded welder on the rigs I am happy with the welding . I had the outer hull below the water line shotblasted and painted with 4 coats of 2 pack epoxy, a coat of primer and 2 coats of antifoul. Over the winter after cleaning the engines I'll be treating and painting the bilges. Hopefully keeping rust at bay for a while.
As for seagoing from our base in West London we took her through central London which was, though not quite 'Perfect Storm' conditions, surprisingly choppy. Then on to sea (well past Southend and that's on sea...) and up the Medway to Rochester. The other boats in our little convoy all remarked how well our Pedro cut through the water. Probably down to the weight of my wife's wardrobe.
The Dover Sea School has an almost identical Pedro with the same engines coded Class 2 (60 mls from a safe port) and it crosses the Channel in all weathers comfortably, they said it copes well with Force 6 conditions. Hope I never see it though.
So our planned trip to Crete via the French Canals, southern French coast, by road across northern Italy then down the Adriatic coast to Greece seems feasible, or does it....
